Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition – Sept. 15 & 16 in Twentynine Palms

Twentynine Palms, CA – The sixth annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15 and 16 at the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms, CA. The weekend celebration will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at oasis venues including the 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms Inn, 29 Palms Creative Center, and Joshua Tree National Park Oasis Visitor Center on National Park Drive.

A highlight of the expo is a juried exhibition of artwork inspired by Joshua Tree National Park, which will be on display all month from September 1 to 30 at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery, featuring the work of 58 artists from the desert region and across California and the U.S.

An awards reception will be held for artists and the public on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. at 29 Palms Art Gallery. Attendees are invited to view the exhibition and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar. Art awards totaling $5,000 will be presented, along with a special Superintendent’s Award from Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith.

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., an Art Market will be held on the lawn at 29 Palms Inn, with artists’ booths and artwork for sale, along with live music, and food and beverages provided by the Inn and La Quinta Brewing Co. A special drawing will be held for all attendees with an opportunity to win a piece of desert artwork.

New this year is a special exhibit of paintings by the late John Hilton, famed desert landscape artist and local resident in the 1950s-60s, on display in the tent area at 29 Palms Inn.

Art demonstrations for all ages will be offered on the patio at the 29 Palms Art Gallery on Saturday and Sunday by artists from the 29 Palms Artists’ Guild, Chaparral Artists, and Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council. And the public is invited to participate in a community art project at the 29 Palms Creative Center all day Saturday and Sunday, led by artists Salina Phanara and Gretchen Grunt.

Ranger talks will be given at Joshua Tree National Park’s Oasis Visitor Center at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days, and attendees are invited to walk and explore the Oasis of Mara trail.

A complete schedule of events is available online at www.jtnpARTS.org and www.Visit29.org. Printed copies are available at the 29 Palms Chamber of Commerce, 29 Palms Art Gallery, and 29 Palms Inn. All events are family friendly and admission free.

The annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is presented by Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Twentynine Palms.